Fogo ferry Veteran to continue sea trials into July

The provincial government says the first phase of sea trials are over for the Veteran, and another phase will begin June 29 near Fogo and Change Islands.

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There is no return to service date for the ferry and the Capt. Earl W. Winsor will continue to run between the islands and Farewellfor the time being, the transportation department said in a statement Friday.

The second phase of sea trials is expected to take about three days andwill begin on June 29 on the northeast coast.

"Monitoring will take into account the local sea state conditions, wharf factors and shore contour conditions, and the impact these factors have on the repaired propulsion units," said the department.

Following the sea trials, the Veteran will dock in Lewisporte for "a post-trial, pre-service entry analysis" by officials from Damen, Rolls Royce and the Department of Transportation and Works.

The $50 million ferry has been out of service four times since its launch in 2015. The most recent repairs are to the vessel's port thruster.